Deadly earthquake hits southwestern China

Over 70 people are confirmed dead after an earthquake hit China’s southwestern Sichuan province, CNN reports.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, affected hundreds living in Sichuan, damaging infrastructure and communications.

According to Reuters, over 250 people were injured and 26 remained missing as local authorities try to clear debris through remote villages to reach the epicenter of the earthquake.

The earthquake, Al Jazeera explains, triggered landslides and shook buildings as far as the provincial capital of Chengdu, 124 miles (200 kilometers) from the epicenter.

CNN reports that China’s State Council has activated a Level 3 emergency in the area and dispatched rescue workers to the epicenter of the earthquake, where over a million residents are estimated to have felt the tremor.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the deployment of the People’s Liberation Army in what has been dubbed an “all-out rescue effort”.

Al Jazeera informs that more than 6,500 emergency workers have been sent to take part in the search and rescue operations in Sichuan.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities claim that over 50,000 people have been relocated from the affected region.

Also, a total of 243 houses collapsed during the tremor and over 13,000 buildings have been damaged.

Reuters confirms that 11,000 of those relocated were from Luding County, where the epicenter of the earthquake is located.

Week-long Heavy rains after the earthquake are expected to be an obstacle for the rescue teams working in the area.

With over 80 million residents, Sichuan is the fourth most populated province of China. It's probably more famous around the world for its cuisine.

The region is well known for its seismic activity. In 2008, China’s deadliest earthquake took place in Sichuan. Nearly 90,000 people died or went missing.

Al Jazeera also points out that this natural disaster occurs while Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, has confined millions of residents due to China’s Zero Covid Policy.

Not everything has been bad, though. The Taiwanese government, whose tensions with Beijing are well known, expressed its condolences to China and offered to send a rescue team.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen offered her “sympathy and concern” to Sichuan.